The present invention relates generally to floor coverings and, more particularly, to floor coverings for vehicles.
Vehicle manufacturers typically provide some type of covering for vehicle floors. Vehicle floor coverings are typically configured to provide a resilient and decorative wearing surface with heat insulating and sound deadening qualities. For example, the use of carpet as a vehicle floor covering is well known. Carpeting used to cover a vehicle floor is typically molded into a contoured configuration that conforms to the contour of a vehicle floor so as to fit properly. U.S. Pat. No. 4,579,764 to Peoples, Jr., et al. discloses an exemplary molded foam-backed carpet for use as a vehicle floor covering.
The use of molded thermoplastic polymer compositions as floor coverings for vehicles known as sport utility vehicles (SUVs), which recently have found growing popularity among consumers, is also known. U.S. Pat. No. 5,322,335 to Niemi discloses an exemplary molded floor covering for an SUV.
It is known that water can accumulate on the floors of passenger and cargo compartments of vehicles, particularly during inclement weather. Because of the potential for corrosion and other damage that may be caused by such water accumulation, drain holes are conventionally provided within vehicle floors to enable any collected water to drain out. In order to prevent the infiltration of noise and dirt within a vehicle during vehicle operation, these drain holes are conventionally fitted with removable plugs.
Many conventional floor coverings, particularly floor coverings for SUVs, are formed from material that is impervious to water. As a result, water that accumulates on a vehicle floor covering may be prevented from draining from the vehicle via drains provided within the vehicle floor. Accordingly, there is a need for providing a mechanism that allows water to drain directly through vehicle floor coverings.
In view of the above, it is an object of the present invention to facilitate drainage of water from within a vehicle directly through a vehicle floor covering.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a method of producing vehicle floor coverings having drains integrally formed therewith.
These and other objects of the present invention are provided by a molded floor covering for a vehicle floor that includes a thermoplastic polymer layer with a contoured configuration adapted to conform to the contour of a vehicle floor and an integral, threaded drain tube extending outwardly therefrom. The drain tube extends outwardly from the thermoplastic polymer layer and includes an open proximate end, an open distal end and a threaded cylindrical bore. The open proximate end is integrally formed with the thermoplastic polymer layer and the distal end is configured to extend through an aperture in a vehicle floor when the floor covering is installed within a vehicle.
A drain plug including a head and a threaded shank connected to the head is configured to be inserted within the drain tube. The threaded shank is configured to threadingly engage the threaded cylindrical bore such that the drain plug can be inserted and removed via rotation about the axial direction. Preferably, the drain plug head and the drain tube proximate end have respective conical frustum shapes such that the drain plug head can be received by the proximate end in countersunk relation therewith. Furthermore, it is preferable that the drain plug head include a portion that can be engaged by a tool or grasped by a user to rotate the drain plug about the axial direction.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a method is provided for producing a molded floor covering for a vehicle floor that includes a drain tube integrally formed therewith. A mold having a contour of a vehicle floor is provided with an outwardly projecting threaded member. The threaded member includes a head portion and an elongate threaded shank. A layer of thermoplastic polymer is vacuum formed over the mold and around the threaded member such that the layer follows the contours of the mold and threaded member to produce a molded floor covering having opposite first and second surfaces, and a drain tube extending outwardly therefrom. The drain tube includes a threaded bore that is configured to receive a correspondingly-threaded drain plug. The drain tube includes an open proximate end and a closed distal end. The open proximate end is integrally formed with the molded floor covering.
According to another embodiment of the present invention, a fastener may threadingly engage an elongate threaded tube integrally formed with a floor covering according to the above described method to removably secure a mat to the floor covering.